New lane to be added

October 9, 2012

Plans to widen Route 20 in front of the McDonald's and Buckhannon Academy Elementary School are still in the works, Buckhannon city officials said.

City Engineer Jay Hollen told the Buckhannon City Council recently that the Division of Highways' transportation improvement plan would go to construction after May 28. The project is being designed by the Charleston office, instead of the District VII office in Weston.

Hollen said the DOH decided to conduct an internal, environmental, historical and stormwater evaluation after conducting a site visit to the location.

"I guess drawings didn't coincide with what was actually built in the street," Hollen said, adding that the DOH would also be making storm system improvements and will need to relocate some utility poles, traffic lights, water and sewer lines while "trying to squeeze a third lane in there."

Hollen said the engineering and environmental work will hopefully be done by the end of this winter, and construction will commence as planned.

"They're trying to get three lanes in there without affecting any of the school property, and that may mean that they'll redo McDonald's sidewalk for them," Hollen said.

The right-of-way at the intersection near McDonald's is 60 feet. Hollen said 25 or 30 feet is needed to add the lane.

"That's what they're doing now," he said. "They're coming up with all different kinds of configurations and trying to get that third lane in there. If they need to, they've got 60 feet to take."

Additionally, Supervisor Jerry Arnold provided council with an update on the walking trail project, which extends the existing trail at West Virginia Wesleyan College. He said the project was about 95 percent completed, including addition of the foot path and pavement.

Arnold said he was hopeful the project would be completed within the next month. He also said that work on Jawbone Park was still underway and will hopefully come to completion before winter.

Hollen said the overlay at Old Elkins Road has begun. He said that after the stripping of Route 20 is complete, workers will "jump over that and knock it out before the end of October."

Also, the North Ridge Development between Pizza Hut and Lowe's in Buckhannon has submitted plans for an access road.

"We're going to give it our blessing," Hollen said, adding that the developer would soon be notified so the project can start before asphalt plants close in November.

Council approved a request from Mid-State Soccer Club in Buckhannon regarding the use of North Buckhannon's Riverfront Soccer field for the months of October and November. Ordinarily, the request would be approved by Consolidated Public Works, but its next meeting will not be until the end of October.